Politics and Religion

Acts 17:13

It is here again, it happens every four years, and you may be wondering what happens, a Presidential Election, and you see people on both sides attacking the candidate of the other party.  If you have lived in the United States, it will come as no surprise that many untruths are told on both sides, and one side always uses the same lies that the other party is for dirty water, to take away funding for programs that help the needy and the old people.  Why would they keep repeating this lie, because it works!  They also tell lies about the other, to this date I’ve not heard one say this is an honorable person, and they have the best interest of our country at heart, but I also am honorable and have the best interest of our nation on my heart, so listen to what their views are for this country and then listen to mine and decide who has the best plan to govern this great nation.  It is never going to happen; no they come up with lies right from the father of lies, the devil.

Now that is politics and if your politics are your religion, then you’re going to do what is needed to protect your base.  It has become clear to me in this Presidential election that many a church person is willing to share untruths, to be mean spirited, expressing opinions that are directed to attack the moral fiber of the person they are against.  Some use humor to do this and others just use any tool, and truth is not the measuring stick, winning at all cost is what they desire.  How does that stack-up with the teaching of our Lord, not very well?  Jesus asked this question:  “Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit?”  (Luke 6:39 ESV) “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you? Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built.  (Luke 6:46-48 ESV)  I personally believe we are very close to that flood coming against our nation, how is your foundation?  Do you live your life as if Jesus tells the truth?  If so, review John 10:10 and see whose voice you are listening to.

You are asking, how does all of that tie into Acts 17:13, and so let me explain first by looking at this verse,  “But when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that the word of God was proclaimed by Paul at Berea also, they came there too, agitating and stirring up the crowds.”  Do you understand that the religious Jews religion and their politics were on display, God was using Paul and Silas to show that the Messiah was not coming in the way they had been hoping, and that much of their worship was for the eyes of men and not toward the heart of God.  So they, much like the political parties of today, had a vested interest, it is called power, it’s called being the one that tell the others how to live life on planet earth, and so the same group that ran Paul out of Thessalonica came to Bera to agitate and stir up trouble for Paul.  They care not one little bit for truth, they wanted to keep control, and history tells us they did the most horrible things to the followers of Christ.  Hebrews 11:35-38, gives this account of religious people at there best: “Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated—of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.”

           

A question I’ve asked myself, and let me confess, I found myself guilty.  Am I acting like a religious man or am I being a follower of Christ?  Scripture tells us to examine ourselves to see if we are in the faith, 2 Corinthians 13:5, I hope it is something you do on a regular basic.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice